The Role of Awareness of Digital Citizen Rights in Realizing a Smart City(Case Study: Mashhad, Iran) (A Comparative Study of the Level of Awareness of Digital Citizen Rights among Law and Other Students) | ||
| حقوق شهری | ||
| Volume 1, Issue 1, May 2025, Pages 47-56 PDF (635.19 K) | ||
| Document Type: Original Article | ||
| Author | ||
| mohsen lal alizadeh* | ||
| Department of Law, Payam Noor University, Tehran, Iran | ||
| Abstract | ||
| With the rise of digital technologies and the increasing smartness of cities, citizens’ rights have evolved into what is now known as “digital citizenship.” Digital citizens possess specific rights that urban managers and judicial authorities are obligated to uphold. However, public awareness of these rights plays a crucial role in empowering digital citizens to advocate for themselves. Evidence suggests that citizens’ familiarity with their digital rights remains limited. This study aims to examine whether students of law and non-law disciplines at Payame Noor University differ in their awareness of digital citizenship rights. Awareness was measured across eight key indicators: privacy, security, copyright, freedom of expression, laws and regulations, rights of children and women, IT infrastructure, and preservation of human dignity and values. A sample of 384 students—half from law and half from other disciplines—was selected using stratified random sampling. Data analysis was conducted using an independent two-sample mean comparison test. Results revealed that law students had significantly higher awareness of digital citizenship rights than their peers in other fields, attributed to the legal education they receive during their studies. Based on these findings, it is recommended that urban managers implement public education programs to raise awareness of digital rights. Such initiatives can reduce social costs, including legal disputes and digital offenses, while enhancing the overall quality and well-being of digital citizens. | ||
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